In a bid to attract high end mobile users, MTS plans to launch tablets and ebook readers that will work on its CDMA network.
“In line with the new strategy we plan to introduce Android (and other) tablets in the next six months,” Amitesh Rao, director of brand and media, MTS, said while launching MTS’s first Android smartphone, the HTC Pulse.
However, he refused to elaborate further on the tablet.
While there are many GSM tablets, there are not many that run on CDMA. Let’s have a look at the alternatives in India which might come bundled with MTS connection.
BlackBerry PlayBook
PlayBook, when it is launched, will mark the entry of BlackBerry into the tablet market. However, it will use only CDMA networks.
It will also introduce a new operating system called QNX.
The tablet has received rave reviews from journalists and developers who saw a demo version during the Consumer Electronics Show and Mobile World Congress earlier in the year.
Apple iPad CDMA
A CDMA version of the famous Apple iPad is in the pipeline. Verizon, a CDMA operator in the USA, has already announced that it is working towards bringing CDMA iPads for customers though no timeline or price has been announced.
If MTS does manage to bring iPad to India it will be a huge sales boost for the company. iPad has been a trend setter worldwide with millions of units sold across continents. The GSM version of this tablet has already been launched in India.
Samsung Galaxy Tab
Galaxy Tab is currently one of the most popular Android tablets in the market. There are no major competitors to it as most others have not been launched yet.
It has already sold more than a million units across the globe and has also found a lot of buyers in India.
A CDMA version has reportedly been spotted, and if the news is true, MTS will almost certainly be looking at bringing it to India. Galaxy Tab has already established a brand identity in India and Samsung has recorded decent sales of the device here.
Motorola Stingray
It’s rumoured to be equipped with a 1.3 GHz Processor and the latest Google Android 3.0 OS.
Motorola Stingray will carry a 10 inch screen, and on the network front it will reportedly work on CDMA Rev A, the same technology that MTS uses.
Huawei
Chinese players ZTE and Huawei are strong in the CDMA space thanks to China Mobile being a CDMA operator. Although they don’t have CDMA tablets right now, it would not be hard for them to make one for MTS.
Huawei has Ideos 7 tablet which currently works on GSM and has been received well. Will there be a CDMA version? Why not? Huawei can be a good option as it will help MTS release lower cost tablets.
Chinese tablets
There are so many Chinese companies making Android tablets but is hard to track them. These devices are mostly rip offs made by unknown brands. MTS can definitely look at this option, as it can rebrand some of these devices as its own. However, this move is likely to hurt the MTS brand if these devices do not work properly or are of low quality.
Chinese imports have already created a very bad name for the CDMA industry as most people started associating CDMA with the low end segment and most high end customers chose GSM, which resulted in very low ARPU for the CDMA industry.
With MTS trying to attract the premium segment the use of Chinese devices will not be looked upon as a wise move. However, on the cost front, these devices will be hard to beat and can work in small towns where Chinese mobile imports by Indian brands have really done wonders, changing the dynamics of the mobile industry.